House Redmane
House Redmane of Redwater Keep is a knightly Dornish house. Redwater Keep is located on a small island at the mouth of the Redwater, a river that flows from the Red Mountains to the Sea of Dorne, just north of Yronwood. Their arms are a black horse within a red sun on a light brown field. Their words are Proud and Swift. House Redmane is known for breeding a hybrid style of Sand Steed which is larger than a Sand Steed but smaller than a Courser. They can wear light barding. History Founding House Redmane was founded late during the Rhoynar Migration. It was said that during Nymeria's War against House Yronwood, the founder of House Redmane was a horse breeder under the influence of the Bloodroyals, and felt mistreated and unappreciated by the Yronwoods. The man's name is lost to history, however, it is known that he led a great number of the Yronwood riding stock and gave them over to the Martells. When the war was over, Nymeria and Mors Martell granted the man a lordship and a complex of holdfasts at the mouth of the Redwater. Rise and Fall The amazing sand steeds House Redmane continued to produce were known throughout Dorne. It made House Redmane wealthy and enabled a market and village to emerge on each bank of the Redwater. With their wealth, House Redmane built three interconnected keeps where their holdfasts had been, each on a small island at the mouth of the river. At some point, a massive flood badly damaged parts of the castle, particularly the two keeps on the smaller islands, and neither were ever fully repaired. The Flood of the Redwater was the point where House Redmane's fortunes began to decline. It also coincided with House Martell allowing House Yronwood to regain full control of the region, including House Redmane's domains. With House Redmane under the influence of House Yronwood, their taxes were increased and found their influence drastically reduced at House Yronwood's court than it was in Sunspear. The two keeps fell further into ruin, as the house could not pay for their repair until they were nothing more that moss covered wet stones. Madness Something happens. The First Blackfyre Rebellion When Daemon Blackfyre proclaimed himself king, House Yronwood rose up to support the bastard and rebelled against House Martell. With House Redmane in complete disarray, they were easily cowed into raising their banners and strength against the crown. The only man of House Redmane that remained loyal to King Daeron II was perhaps the most famous man of House Redmane, Ser Henry Redmane, the first Dornish man to serve among the Kingsguard. Henry "the Hawk" was a younger brother of Lady Ellyn who had joined the Kingsguard seven years prior when Prince Maron Martell and Princess Daenerys Targaryen were wed. The fighting was fierce in Dorne as House Yronwood and House Martell waged open war against each other once again. Ser Henry was sent down the Boneway to assault Yronwood. Ser Henry took Wyl, who was at the time a banner of House Yronwood, and killed the lord and his adult sons. Henry pushed forward, his Targaryen loyalists fighting further along the Boneway and eventually meeting the Yronwood troops in the hills south of the Redwater. When the call for aid came from Daemon Blackfyre, House Yronwood were unable to send troops along the Boneway to aid the rebels and also allowing House Martell and other Dornish troops to join the assault without worry of House Yronwood attacking their rear. After Daemon was killed and his army defeated, House Yronwood was forced to bend the knee in defeat. Ser Henry "the Hawk" accepted Lord Osmund Yronwood's surrender and placed the local lands under martial law. This included all lands of Ser Henry's birth currently controlled by his sister, Lady Ellyn. Although House Redmane had a very insignificant role in the conflict, they would find themselves punished as a great deal of other rebel houses had. Loss of Land and Title For his bravery and loyalty, King Daeron II favored Ser Henry Redmane as never before. Ser Henry had one bastard son, named Symon, from before his time as a member of the Kingsguard. King Daeron immediately legitimized Symon and with the surname Redhawk in honor of his father's service to the crown. King Daeron also forced the marriage of Lord Osmund Yronwood's eldest daughter to Symon. It was said she was a maid of incredible beauty and would have made a fine prize for any man throughout the newly formed Seven Kingdoms. Even still, the king stripped parts of House Redmane's holdings and gave them to House Redhawk. This included parts of Redwater and half of its market, as well as much of the surrounding areas on the south side of the Redwater's banks. Lastly, Lady Ellyn's ladyship was stripped and House Redmane was forced to carry on as a knightly house without the right of pit and gallows. House Redmane remained under the dominion of House Yronwood. It is said House Martell opposed such a punishment to House Redmane and instead requested the king to punish House Yronwood in their stead, alas King Daeron II did not heed their council. A Secret Union Myriam Redhawk, Lord Roland's daughter, found herself in the company of Aron Redmane, the heir of House Redmane, whose father was bitter rivals with Lord Roland. In secret, Aron and Myriam, who were the same age, were married on Myriam's eighteenth nameday. It did not take long for both families to discover what had happened. Aron's father, Ser Myles, was less perturbed than Lord Roland, who was furious. It was said his men were rallied and prepared to march on Redwater Keep, but his advisers convinced their lord not to break the King's Peace. The realms were falling into a state of turmoil, and before anything could be resolved, both House Redmane and House Redhawk's banners were called by House Yronwood, who followed Dorne in the invasion of the Westerlands. Lord Roland petitions Prince Doran and the High Septon to annul the marriage, but neither responded favorably, as such an issue was almost beneath notice while the entire Seven Kingdoms were at war. The Shattering The couple’s blissful marriage was soon interrupted when war broke out in Westeros. With the banners called Aron left with his brother and father for battle in the Westerlands. There the best and worst would befall Aron. During the campaign he was highly successful in leading Dornish outriders ahead of the main host clearing the way of any ambushes and stopping enemy scouts from reporting their position. His success received accolades from the Red Viper himself. However at the siege of Crakehall tragedy struck as both his father and brother were killed in the fighting. With the Oberyn Martell and the Mountain dead the Dornish host returned to Dorne. The Birth of Two Bastards After returning the bodies of his brother and father to Redwater Keep Aron escorted his brother’s widow back to Starfall. While details are vague Aron took Allyria to bed for a time and produced a bastard named Amber. The fallout with his wife Myriam was great and in revenge Myriam took a lover and had a bastard with him. The two were estranged for nearly a decade before time finally softened their animosity. Quentyn's War When Quentyn Martell raised enough support he turned in open rebellion against his sister. House Redmane, who were banners of House Yronwood at the time, had a choice to make. Did they follow House Yronwood in rebellion against House Martell, or did they support Arianne Martell instead. Ser Aron Redmane chose the later, which but them in direct conflict with their long time rival, House Redhawk. Almost immediately, Redwater Keep was put under siege, and the fighting around Redwater was fierce. Eventually the siege was lifted by House Martell after the Yronwood was finally taken by loyalist forces.